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<span class=large>THE WORDS OF MORMON</span>
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CHAPTER 1
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Mormon abridges their history onto the plates of Mormon—He inserts the plates of Nephi into the abridgement—King Benjamin establishes peace in the land.  About <span class='small'>A.D.</span> 385
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&nbsp;&nbsp;1 <span class='allcaps'>
And</span> now I, Mormon, being about to deliver up the <sup>a</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/1a" mark="a" type="A" title="3 Ne. 5: 12 (9-12); Morm. 1: 4 (1-4); Morm. 2: 17 (17-18); Morm. 8: 5 (1, 4-5, 14).">record</a> which I have been making into the hands of my son Moroni, behold I have witnessed almost all the destruction of my people, the Nephites.
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&nbsp;&nbsp;2 
And it is <sup>a</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/2a" mark="a" type="A" title="Morm. 6: 5 (5-6).">many</a> hundred years after the coming of Christ *that I deliver these records into the hands of my son; and it supposeth me that he will witness the entire <sup>b</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/2b" mark="b" type="A" title="1 Ne. 12: 19.">destruction</a> of my people.  But may God grant that he may survive them, that he may write somewhat concerning them, and somewhat concerning Christ, that perhaps some day it may <sup>c</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/2c" mark="c" type="A" title="D&C 3: 19 (16-20).">profit</a> them.
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&nbsp;&nbsp;3 
And now, I speak somewhat concerning that which I have written; for after I had made an <sup>a</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/3a" mark="a" type="A" title="1 Ne. 1: 17 (16-17); D&C 10: 44.">abridgment</a> from the <sup>b</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/3b" mark="b" type="A" title="Jarom 1: 14; W of M 1: 10; D&C 10: 38 (38-40).">plates</a> of Nephi, down to the reign of this king Benjamin, of whom Amaleki spake, I searched among the <sup>c</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/3c" mark="c" type="A" title="Mosiah 1: 6 (2-6); Hel. 3: 13 (13-15); Morm. 4: 23.">records</a> which had been delivered into my hands, and I found these plates, which contained this small account of the prophets, from Jacob down to the reign of this king <sup>d</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/3d" mark="d" type="A" title="Omni 1: 23 (23-25).">Benjamin</a>, and also many of the words of Nephi.
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&nbsp;&nbsp;4 
And the things which are upon these plates <sup>a</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/4a" mark="a" type="A" title="1 Ne. 6: 5 (3-6).">pleasing</a> me, because of the prophecies of the coming of Christ; and my fathers knowing that many of them have been fulfilled; yea, and I also know that as many things as have been <sup>b</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/4b" mark="b" type="B" title="TG Jesus Christ, Prophecies about.">prophesied</a> concerning us down to this day have been fulfilled, and as many as go beyond this day must surely come to pass—
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&nbsp;&nbsp;5 
Wherefore, I chose <sup>a</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/5a" mark="a" type="D" title="IE the things pleasing to him, mentioned in v. 4.">these</a> things, to finish my <sup>b</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/5b" mark="b" type="A" title="3 Ne. 5: 17 (14-18); Morm. 1: 1.">record</a> upon them, which remainder of my record I shall take from the <sup>c</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/5c" mark="c" type="A" title="1 Ne. 9: 2.">plates</a> of Nephi; and I cannot write the <sup>d</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/5d" mark="d" type="A" title="Alma 13: 31; 3 Ne. 5: 8 (8-11); 3 Ne. 26: 6 (6-12).">hundredth</a> part of the things of my people.
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&nbsp;&nbsp;6 
But behold, I shall take these plates, which contain these prophesyings and revelations, and put them with the remainder of my record, for they are choice unto me; and I know they will be choice unto my brethren.
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&nbsp;&nbsp;7 
And I do this for a <sup>a</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/7a" mark="a" type="A" title="1 Ne. 9: 5; 1 Ne. 19: 3; Enos 1: 13 (13-18); Alma 37: 2; D&C 3: 19 (9-20); D&C 10: 34 (1-19, 30-47).">wise</a> <sup>b</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/7b" mark="b" type="A" title="D&C 10: 40 (20-46).">purpose</a>; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me.  And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord <sup>c</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/7c" mark="c" type="B" title="TG God, Foreknowledge of; TG God, Intelligence of; TG God, Omniscience of.">knoweth</a> all things which are to come; wherefore, he <sup>d</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/7d" mark="d" type="A" title="2 Ne. 27: 23.">worketh</a> in me to do according to his <sup>e</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/7e" mark="e" type="B" title="TG God, Will of.">will</a>.
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&nbsp;&nbsp;8 
And my <sup>a</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/8a" mark="a" type="A" title="2 Ne. 33: 3; Enos 1: 11 (11-12); Moro. 9: 22.">prayer</a> to God is concerning my brethren, that they may once again come to the knowledge of God, yea, the redemption of Christ; that they may once again be a <sup>b</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/8b" mark="b" type="A" title="2 Ne. 30: 6.">delightsome</a> people.
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&nbsp;&nbsp;9 
And now I, Mormon, *proceed to finish out my record, which I take from the plates of Nephi; and I make it according to the knowledge and the <sup>a</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/9a" mark="a" type="B" title="TG Understanding.">understanding</a> which God has given me.
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&nbsp;&nbsp;10 
Wherefore, it came to pass that after Amaleki had <sup>a</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/10a" mark="a" type="A" title="Omni 1: 25 (25, 30).">delivered</a> up these plates into the hands of king Benjamin, he took them and put them with the <sup>b</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/10b" mark="b" type="A" title="1 Ne. 9: 4; Omni 1: 11, 18; W of M 1: 3; Mosiah 28: 11.">other</a> plates, which contained records which had been handed down by the <sup>c</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/10c" mark="c" type="A" title="Jarom 1: 14.">kings</a>, from generation to generation until the days of king Benjamin.
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&nbsp;&nbsp;11 
And they were handed down from king Benjamin, from generation to generation until they have fallen into <sup>a</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/11a" mark="a" type="A" title="3 Ne. 5: 12 (8-12); Morm. 1: 4 (1-5).">my</a> hands.  And I, Mormon, pray to God that they may be preserved from this time henceforth.  And I know that they will be preserved; for there are great things written upon them, out of which <sup>b</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/11b" mark="b" type="A" title="Hel. 15: 3 (3-4).">my</a> people and their brethren shall be <sup>c</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/11c" mark="c" type="A" title="2 Ne. 25: 18; 2 Ne. 29: 11; 2 Ne. 33: 14 (11, 14-15); 3 Ne. 27: 25 (23-27); Ether 5: 4.">judged</a> at the great and last day, according to the word of God which is written.
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&nbsp;&nbsp;12 
And now, concerning this king Benjamin—he had somewhat of contentions among his own people.
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&nbsp;&nbsp;13 
And it came to pass also that the armies of the Lamanites came down out of the <sup>a</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/13a" mark="a" type="A" title="Omni 1: 12.">land</a> of Nephi, to battle against his people.  But behold, king Benjamin gathered together his armies, and he did stand against them; and he did fight with the strength of his own arm, with the <sup>b</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/13b" mark="b" type="A" title="1 Ne. 4: 9; 2 Ne. 5: 14; Jacob 1: 10; Mosiah 1: 16; D&C 17: 1.">sword</a> of Laban.
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&nbsp;&nbsp;14 
And in the <sup>a</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/14a" mark="a" type="B" title="TG Strength.">strength</a> of the Lord they did contend against their enemies, until they had slain many thousands of the Lamanites.  And it came to pass that they did contend against the Lamanites until they had driven them out of all the lands of their <sup>b</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/14b" mark="b" type="A" title="Jarom 1: 7.">inheritance</a>.
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&nbsp;&nbsp;15 
And it came to pass that after there had been false <sup>a</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/15a" mark="a" type="B" title="TG False Christs.">Christs</a>, and their mouths had been shut, and they punished according to their crimes;
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&nbsp;&nbsp;16 
And after there had been <sup>a</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/16a" mark="a" type="B" title="TG False Prophets.">false</a> prophets, and false preachers and teachers among the people, and all these having been punished according to their crimes; and after there having been much contention and many dissensions away <sup>b</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/16b" mark="b" type="A" title="Jacob 1: 14 (13-14).">unto</a> the Lamanites, behold, it came to pass that king Benjamin, with the assistance of the holy <sup>c</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/16c" mark="c" type="A" title="Enos 1: 22.">prophets</a> who were among his people—
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&nbsp;&nbsp;17 
For behold, king Benjamin was a <sup>a</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/17a" mark="a" type="A" title="Ex. 22: 31; Alma 13: 26; D&C 49: 8; D&C 107: 29.">holy</a> man, and he did reign over his people in righteousness; and there were many holy men in the land, and they did speak the word of God with <sup>b</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/17b" mark="b" type="C" title="Alma 17: 3 (2-3); TG God, Power of.">power</a> and with authority; and they did use much <sup>c</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/17c" mark="c" type="A" title="Enos 1: 23; Moro. 9: 4; D&C 121: 43 (41-43).">sharpness</a> because of the stiffneckedness of the people—
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&nbsp;&nbsp;18 
Wherefore, with the help of these, king <sup>a</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/18a" mark="a" type="A" title="Omni 1: 25; Mosiah 29: 13.">Benjamin</a>, by laboring with all the might of his body and the <sup>b</sup><a href="w_of_m/1/18b" mark="b" type="A" title="1 Ne. 15: 25.">faculty</a> of his whole soul, and also the prophets, did once more establish peace in the land.
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<div class="note"><span class='smallcaps'>
* verse 2 (about <span class='small'>A.D.</span> 385); Verse 9 (About <span class='small'>A.D.</span> 385).</span>
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